Detroit Information

Detroit, Michigan was founded in 1701 when Antoine de La Mothe and Sieur de Cadillac, along with their group, arrived on the banks of The Strait of Lake Erie. They established Fort Pontchartrain du Detroit. The fort acted as a successful trading post between the French and Indians in the region. The British took over the fort in 1760 during the French and Indian War. They then changed the name of the city to Detroit.

Under the Jay Treaty in 1796, the city was passed to the United States. Unfortunately, a fire in 1805 destroyed the majority of the community. During the late 1800s, mansions and other buildings were being built. This was called The Gilded Age. The architecture of Detroit was exquisite. Because the city was situated down the Great Lakes waterway, Detroit materialized as a transportation core.

The city was the capital of the state from 1805 to 1847. Detroit played an important part along the Underground Railroad, and many citizens of the city fought for the Union Army during the Civil War.

Henry Ford built his first automobile in Detroit in 1896. The Ford Model T made an appearance in the city not long after, prompting Detroit to be known as The Motor City.

Automotive assembly lines were useful during wartime, so the city became one of the main manufacturing cores in the country during both World Wars. This manufacturing lead to billions of dollars for the city, so Detroit became a thriving city.

After World War II, leaders began building highway systems. In 1950, Motown Records were founded, so Detroit became influential in the music industry. Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross were just two of the stars that emerged from Motown Records.

In the 1970s, the oil problem had a damaging effect on the automotive industry, so the population of Detroit decreased drastically as layoffs were made. Crime and corruption increased in the city.

The city of Detroit gradually started to recover. The Republican National Convention was held in the city in 1980, and Ronald Reagan began his quest to become President. Unfortunately, in 1984, the city received national attention when rioting occurred after The Detroit Tigers won the World Series, resulting in millions of property damage. Fortunately, in the 1990s, the city experienced a rebirth as numerous downtown facilities were built.